David Peter Bergland, June 4, 1935 (Mapleton, Iowa) – June 3, 2019 (Kennewick, Wash.)
VP candidate for Libertarian Party (1976)
Running mate with nominee: Roger MacBride (1929-1995)
Popular vote: 172,557 (0.21%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
In 1972 a faithless Elector in Virginia named Roger MacBride cast his vote for the Hospers/Nathan Libertarian Party ticket instead of Richard Nixon. This action generated talk within Libertarian Party circles of rewarding MacBride with the 1976 Presidential nomination in the Party's second run for the White House. MacBride had also been a Republican member of the Vermont State Legislature and he could pump some of his personal wealth into the campaign so his experience and resources was a definite plus.
MacBride nixed the first two people who looked to be likely Vice-Presidential nominees. Jim Trotter was a public tax-resister and John Vernon was openly Gay. MacBride claimed they would hurt the image of the Party and he wanted to be taken seriously. Incredibly, the convention allowed him to do this.
I'm no political scientist so bear with me here as I share my personal impressions. To say there are Left or Right factions within the Libertarian ranks doesn't really work as this group defies that old model. I'm sure Libertarians themselves have their own esoteric language and terms for this, but I'll just make it simple and identify the divisions in their early years as hardcore and moderate. The differences between these two camps did involve political philosophy but it as was really concerning form and method. The hardcore felt that by being purists and not playing the Establishment's dirty game they would attract voters who were seeking a clear and honest alternative. The moderates appeared to be open to political alliances and performing outreach that might possibly involve compromise since that is how the political world traditionally functions. MacBride's running-mate was California attorney David Bergland, who I would place in the hardcore faction. So the 1976 ticket really had both wings represented.
One of the saving graces for the Libertarian Party was the lack of a central iconic household name personality, especially in their early years. In many other of the non-major parties in US history where such an individual existed (e.g. William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt, George Wallace, Ross Perot), the power struggle to fill the vacuum after that person was gone utterly destroyed their organizations. But the Libertarians have managed to survive in spite of inner conflicts or perhaps have grown stronger because of them. Today they are regarded as America's most major minor party.
In mid-October Bergland told a newspaper, "If we get 1% of the vote nationally, we'll consider that a tremendous success." It didn't quite turn out that way, but they fared better than most of the other third parties. When you consider that in 1972 they had been on the ballot in only two states it becomes apparent 1976 was really the first year the Party introduced itself to the whole country and with that in mind their election results were quite impressive. They placed 4th, behind Eugene McCarthy.
They were on the ballot in over 30 states and write-ins in several more. Their strongest showings were Far West regional with Alaska giving them a whopping 5.49%, Hawaii 1.35%, Idaho 1.04%, Arizona 1.03%, Nevada 0.75%, California 0.72%, South Dakota 0.54%, Colorado 0.49%, and Utah 0.45%. It is difficult to say which of the major candidates they might have impacted the most. 13 of their top 15 states voted for President Ford.
Bergland will return as the 1984 Libertarian Presidential nominee.
Other occupations: soldier (US Army), lifeguard, firefighter, city inspector for Los Angeles, Chair of the Libertarian National Committee, attorney, author, adjunct professor of law
Election history:
1974 - Attorney General of California (Libertarian Party) - defeated
1978 - California State Senate (Libertarian Party) - defeated
1980 - US Senate (Calif.) (Libertarian Party) - defeated
1984 - US President (Libertarian Party) - defeated
Buried: ?
Notes:
Was a write-in candidate in the 1974 race.
Endorsed the Free State Project in 2006.
"Libertarians approach political, economic, and social issues by placing the highest priority on letting
people solve their own problems, their own way, according to their own values. This usually results
in proposals to replace clumsy, counterproductive government approaches with more effective and
compassionate voluntary cooperation."--David Bergland
Joined the Libertarian Party in 1973.
Martial arts enthusiast and bodybuilder.
Winner of the 1978 race was John G. Schmitz.
Winner of the 1980 race was Alan Cranston.
Another Washington State connection! Bergland lived up here in his later years.
